1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sound suppressor for a firearm, and more particularly to a sound suppressor for a firearm that comprises a housing containing at least one baffle that is of a conical structure.
2. Background of the Invention
Firearms when discharged produce a high intensity impulse sound, and to reduce this high intensity impulse sound, many different sound suppressors for firearms have been developed and patented over a long period of time. A wide variety of techniques have been developed and patented to produce effective sound suppressors. The most efficient sound suppressors have used combinations of baffles and varying sized expansion chambers, or heat absorbent materials. Regardless of the techniques used, the aim and intention of a sound suppressor is to delay the exit of the propellant gases from the sound suppressor so that the resulting sound level is significantly reduced.
Baffles have been extensively used to achieve high levels of reduction with sound suppressors for firearms, and the use of quite complex baffle structures are known in the prior art. Some of these baffles have more recently used asymmetric features, such as slanted sidewalls or baffles that have been positioned at an angle to the bore, to achieve high levels of sound reduction. Other baffles have been of a symmetrical design to minimize detrimental effects on the accuracy of the host firearm. Conical baffles have been used extensively over many years and a great many variations exist. Conical baffles may be of a truncated design, a frusto-conical design or a conical baffle with a spiral vane on the exterior surface of the baffle. Many variations of the basic conical baffle are due to changes in the angle of the conical baffle, and the addition of structures to the conical baffle to aid in improving the sound reduction level of the suppressor. Some of these structures have included the addition of a tube protruding from the apex of the cone, with the tube varying in length. Other structural additions have included a flat or curved flange positioned along the exterior surface of the cone.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,385,164 (Walther et al) discloses the use of conical baffles that feature a plurality of steps or multiple annular shoulders on the interior surface of a conical baffle. Also disclosed was the use of these multiple annular shoulders on the exterior and interior surfaces of a conical baffle. However, the use of these conical baffles with annular shoulders was in conjunction with other techniques and these conical baffles were positioned and only used in the area of the suppressor closest to the muzzle exit of the suppressor.
One variation of the baffled sound suppressor is known as the coaxial suppressor. One version of the coaxial suppressor uses baffles that are separated by reduced diameter spacers that are concentric to the bore of the suppressor, with the spacers being ported to allow venting of the propellant gases to the outer expansion chamber. Another version of the coaxial suppressor uses a reduced diameter housing containing baffles and spacers, and this is positioned concentrically within an outer housing. Porting of the inner housing allows for venting of the gases to the outer expansion chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,083 (Seberger) features the use of reduced diameter coaxial spacer elements that are ported between groups of conical baffles, but the baffles themselves have conventional spacer elements between each baffle. Each baffle is also ported at varying positions. U.S. Pat. No. 6,575,074 (Gaddini) features baffles that have integral reduced diameter coaxial spacer elements, and these are vented in a specific manner, dependent upon the caliber of the host firearm. The baffle featured in the Gaddini patent has a small conical portion that fits within the reduced diameter coaxial spacer element when assembled, and the bore aperture is provided with an elongated slot.
It is an object of this invention to provide a sound suppressor for a firearm that significantly produces high levels of sound and flash reduction using conical baffles that utilize symmetrical structures and have little or no detrimental effect on the accuracy of the fired projectile.
Additional objects, advantages, and novel features of the invention will be set forth in part in the description as follows, and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon examination of the following, or may be learned by practice of the invention.